The Effects on Thermal Efficiency of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia and Lanthanum Zirconate-Based Thermal Barrier Coatings on Aluminum Heating Block for 3D Printer

Abstract

Fused filament fabrication is an important additive manufacturing method, for which 3D printers are the most commonly used printing tools. In this method, there are many factors that affect the printing quality, chief among which is temperature. The fusion temperature of the material is created by an aluminum heating block in the extruder. Stability and a constant temperature for the aluminum heating block are inevitable requirements for print quality. This study aims to use the thermal barrier coating method to increase the thermal efficiency and stability of the aluminum heating block by reducing heat loss. Furthermore, it aims to perform steady-state thermal analysis using finite element analysis software. The analyses are carried out in stagnant air environment and at the printing temperature of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene material. In order to examine the effects of different coating materials, blocks coated with two different coating materials, as well as uncoated blocks, were used in the analyses. The coating made with yttria-stabilized zirconia and pyrochlore-type lanthanum zirconate materials, together with the NiCRAl bond layer, prevent temperature fluctuation by preventing heat loss. The effects of the coating method on average heat flux density, temperature distribution of blocks, and temperature distribution of the filament tube hole were investigated. Additionally, changes in flow velocity were determined by examining the effects of the thermal barrier coating method on temperature distribution. The average heat flux density in the coated blocks decreased by 10.258%. Throughout the investigation, the temperature distributions in the coated blocks became homogeneous. It was also observed that both coating materials produce the same effect. This article performs a steady-state thermal analysis of a conventional model and thermal-barrier-coated models to increase print quality by reducing heat loss from the aluminum heating block.